France: Saint-Etienne moves into third

PARIS (AP) -- Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored his eighth goal of the season as Saint-Etienne beat lowly Troyes 2-0 on Saturday to move provisionally into third place in the French league.

Aubameyang scored one and made the other in last weekend's surprise 2-1 away win at French leader Paris Saint-Germain, and sealed the win in the 89th minute after midfielder Renaud Cohade put the home side ahead just after halftime.

Free-scoring Valenciennes took its tally to 13 goals in four matches and climbed to fourth as it won 3-2 away to Bastia and moved level on 21 points with Saint-Etienne, which has a better goal difference. Midfielder Foued Kadir scored twice for Valenciennes, and Mathieu Dossevi got the other goal.

But Lyon, which also has 21 points, can reclaim third place if it wins at relegation-threatened Sochaux on Sunday.

PSG tops the league on goal difference from Marseille, which has played one game less. PSG is away to defending champion Montpellier on Sunday and will be without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is suspended for two games. Marseille hosts Nice.

Meanwhile, Toulouse lost for the second straight game after a 4-2 home defeat by Ajaccio, with midfielder Chahir Belghazouani scoring twice.

Evian moved out of the relegation zone thanks to a 2-1 win at Reims, with strikers Kevin Berigaud and Youssef Adnane getting a goal each.

Earlier, Salomon Kalou scored on the stroke of halftime as Lille beat Brest 1-0 for a much-needed confidence boost after its midweek thrashing in the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

Kalou, who scored Lille's consolation goal in Wednesday's 6-1 humiliation, got on the end of Dimitri Payet's cross from the left and scored from close range in the 45th minute.

Even though it has lost all four of its matches in the European Cup, Lille's domestic form has picked up and Saturday's win was its third straight in the league.

Rennes won 3-1 at struggling Nancy on Friday.

Also on Sunday, Bordeaux is at Lorient.

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